The companionable times I rode alongside someone and we shared our thoughts

The kindness of “D”‘ Mohammed, the guide who ‘adopted’ me

The responsiveness of my amazing horse, Zeina,

her kindness, generosity, strength and endurance.

My flea bitten gray – Zeina and I. The sweetest soul in the Sahara…

the guide “Da” Mohammed who took such care of me “Da” old lady (da apparently meaning ‘old/wise’ 🙂

My flea bitten gray – Zeina and I. The sweetest soul in the Sahara…

Perhaps these photos will illustrate where words cannot,

what was a most remarkable experience.

We passed a Bedouin Family. I did not go in, but some did.The miles and miles of ‘nothing’ – with it’s own kind of beautyAnd so much room to gallop, canter and have funThe only ‘fresh’ water on the tripIt was hot and dustyand sometimes it felt like a looooong dayOnce we rode under a ‘shield’ of shade for about 5 minutes – I remember it was heaven and I thought of the cowboy movies where they always found shade. 🙂 Perhaps the heat had made me hallucinate – who knows, but I clearly remember thinking about cowboy movies!!!!!Biblical in its symbolism – like so much of this trippulling up water bucket by bucket

to give to our horses

no words,just vistasof a landboth harshand beautifulwhichever way Ilooked

Feeding our horses was a daily ritualrequired everyone’s help – even the little travellers who joined us and gave us so much joyas well as giving our lovely horses food

Some played while others watched…..

and the men hauled waterbucket by bucket at the wells along the way (there were not many of them I might add – those horses were remarkable)

‘Da Mohammed’ Whose kindness gave me courage. Whenever I looked around, there he was, keeping pace, watching out for me – and it wasn’t just me he cared for He loved the horses passionately and was always working. – I shall forever remember him with fondness

And of course there was the necessity of feeding ourselves as well…..

whether it was buying an orange from the locals (loved the clothes!)or trying to buy something to drink…and our daily delicious lunch – fresh salads, tinned tuna and bread pockets that were fresh on day one, not so fresh day seven 🙂but always prepared with such love by our amazing guideswhile we were left to search for ‘the proverbial’ ablutionary bush…… and may I add, it took some searching – good ablution bushes were few and far between.Our campsite was always a welcome sight – table and chairs a real treat and many happy hours we spent round that chatting and sharing

One night we slept in luxury,

a Bedouin camp with

‘stand up tents’

and sit down toilets,

even if they didn’t actually flush

and real warm water dripping out of a shower – of sorts.

How easily we were pleased.

How quickly we learnt to appreciate what a week before we would have despised.

A “Stand up” tent – didn’t matter that four of us slept in it – it was LUXURY – Fully lined with the most beautiful rugsSome even did washing!!!! Drying was not a problem

Our neighbours
That bizarre time warpthe juxtaposition of the modernand the ancientThey munchedand sat and ponderedas a herder sat and munchedand pondered

There was a particular evening which perhaps sums up how amazing this place is.

look carefully you will see the light of our camp

We were seated at our table – 8 one side and the rest of us on this side,

it was dark, the sky ablaze with trillions of stars.

(In fact someone had counted

28 shooting stars in less than 29 minutes one night)

Conversation and laughter was alive with energy when

out of nowhere those 8 faces opposite us

froze for a few seconds,

then there was a collective cry of amazement.

They had all, at the same time seen something in the sky –

we are yet to define it precisely.

Suffice to say, this meteor, comet, or something else flashed across the sky,

so vividly and for such a long time

that they were stunned into silent awe

while those of us who had our backs to this wonder

were left amazed

at their amazement.

They were speechless at first

and then

could not stop speaking – all at once,

trying to explain what they had just seen,

clearly frustrated

that no words could adequate describe their collective vision.

This is in many ways

an ‘other worldly place’

a speck in the skygrew largerto reveal an Air Morocco plane – how appropriate!!!

a night of singing with drums and a fire – our guides leading the way, as usual

taking a break whenever we could…leaning on each other while we took a breather….or some photographsit felt like there was no end…… to the slog.and the heat.and then we wereat the top – recovering and

and contemplating theamazing vastness ahead.

It was a very real and yet at the same time very surreal experience.

And as I sat there, catching by breathe and looking

at the land before me,

I was drawn to The Book and the Promised Land.

And the time warp took me there –

I couldn’t help but think of Moses (Deuteronomy 34),

who was allowed to see the that promised land

but was not allowed to cross over into it.

Craziness, Heat, Weariness?

Or perhaps this place truly is something different.

Of course I wasn’t looking at The Promised land.

For one thing I was in the wrong country.

For another thing,

there was nothing attractive about what lay in front of me.

Stones, sand

and no milk or honey.

And yet that is where my mind kept taking me.

Promised land?

And then began the descent….

Mercifully in the shade of the mountains for a short while.

Coaxing our horses we began the descentDown anddown.. careful step…

by careful stepUntil finally we could ride again.

Welcome shade, for a short while,

and then the sun again.

As I said.

It was a very real and yet at the same time very surreal experience.

Trudging along, with my horse, with the heat, with no idea of what was ahead,

and in my head a picture of

Mary and Jesus going to Egypt as refugees,

trudging along, with their donkey, with the heat, with no idea of what was ahead

and once again this amazing country

took me into a time warp.

Images along the way……

From shopping and eating…

To sights and views
Jan, who gave this ride a miss and was always waiting to welcome us with Such a Lovely Smile…..That sun and dusk was something to beholdand so we pretended to be masked bandits 🙂The most precious commodity in the desertalone in an almost alien worldwith the occasional sign of habitationand then again signs of absolutelyabsolutely nothing……..but miles of stone and sandand occasional ‘hills’follow my leader for 7 days.